Method of protecting commercial paper.



E. E. ANGBL L; METHOD OF PROTECTING COMMERCIAL PAPER.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.17,1908.

936,399. Patented Oct. 12, 1909.

"I n I I lll.

lllll n'iliiil UNITED STATES PATE FFICE.

METHOD OFPRCllECTING COMMERCIAL PAPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 17, 1908.

Patented Got. 12, 1909. Serial No. 467,958.

.the result so as to make impossible the transposition bodily of fragments of the paper containing figures or other characters, and the substitution of one such fragment of paper for another. In the patent above noted the entire field of the paper between successive characters is defaced or destroyed,

so that the defaced area surrounding the character formed in the paper is the same in its exterior conformation for all characters. According to the present invention, the defaced, indented, cut or otherwise partially destroyed areas of paper surrounding the blank portions which constitute the characters-are'diiferent for each character and conform in a general way to the outline of the character itself. Moreover, the entire field between successive characters is not destroyed but blank intact portions of the paper are left between the characters, This is done to prevent raising of the value indicated by the characters throu h transposition bodily, and substitution of tor for another, for in order to make such a transposition, it is necessary to out out with the characters to be trans osed, untouched portions of the paper 0 the same size and shape, surrounding each character. These transposed pieces must be joined with the body of the sheet, and on account of their size, such joining is at the same time very diflicult to accomplish, and easily detected. 1

Accordingly my present invention consists in defacing the paper according to the method hereinafter described and claimed, and in the product resulting from such method, such roduct being checks, stock 'cer tificates, bon s and other commercial paper on which values or amounts are indicated, and from the increase of which indications, dishonest pecuniary advantage might ensue.

In the accompanying drawings I have one charac illustrated an apparatus capable of carrying my invention into efiect, and the commercial paper forming a part of the invention and -resulting from the practice of the method.

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section v of'such a machine. Fig. 2 represents a plan View of a portion of a sheet of paper bearing characters produced in accordance with the present method. Fig. 3 represents a plan View showing one of the characters on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 represents a sectional view, on line 4-4 of Flg. 3.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the fi ures.

Having it understoo first thatthe practice of the invention does not depend on the use of machines or apparatus of any particular character, I will proceed with the description of the machine here illustrated, which embodies one device capable of carrying the method into effect.

The machine includes a base 1 adapted to be set on any suitable support, and having a table 2 upon which the sheet 3 of commercial paper is placed. The sheet 1S located by adjustable gages 4 so as to lie between the dies which indent or otherwise deface the paper. Permissibly the marking dies which are represented by 5, may be placed 1n order on the periphery of a cylinder or disk 6, which is secured to a shaft 7 rotatably held in a pivoted bracket 8, the latter having bearings 9 and 10 for containing the shaft, and a handle 11 being mounted on the shaft for the double purpose of rotating the die holder and oscillating the bracket. A complemental die 12 is set into the table 2, and when any one of the dies 5 1s pressed on the sheet 3, the indenting teeth, ridges or points of the complemental dies indent and cut through to a greater or less extent the paper, leaving irregular strips thereof which remain in integral union'at their ends with the bod of the sheet.

The vfir shaft 13, and preferably s normally held by a spring 14 so that the die holder and the dies thereon are elevated above the table 2, leaving sufficient space between the complemental dies'for the insertion of a sheet. A pivoted yoke 1 5 having anti-frict on rolls 16 holds the paper against the peripheries of feed rolls 17 which project through slots 1n the table 2, and are mounted upon a shaft 18, the latter having a ratchet or gear wheel 19 driven step by step, by means of a pawl 20 carried by an arm 21 depending from an arm of the bracket 8. Whenever the die holder rises, the pawl turns the feed wheels one step. I

The apparatus here illustrated as one of the permissible means for carrying into effeet the method which'constitutes my invention forms the subject-matter of a separate application, filed by me February 12, 1908, Serial No. 415,525, and needs no further detailed description here. The marking types or dies differ from those shown in the said application, in that instead of havlng lines or points which collectively form an oblong or rectangular block, they are so constructed that the outlines of the indenting portions are -varied. Thus the exterior outlines of the impressions made by the several dies are different and the spacing of the characters in the sheet is made such that clear or blank portions of the paper intervene between them, causing the outlines of the defaced portions of the sheet surrounding the characters to be distinct from each other instead of being merged together. From an inspection of Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that each character is formed of the original paper, consisting of a blank area a surrounded by a defaced area or band I), the character or blank area a remaining in the same plane as the body of the paper. The surrounding band is formed in the paper by indenting the same by means of sharpedges or points formed on the types or dies, the indentations being preferably so deep as to deflect and cut through or break to a greater or less extent the fibers of the paper, leaving strips which are connected to the body of the sheet, but separated at' their sides from one another. The lengths of the indenting edges on the dies are variable, and are so spaced with respect to the blank spaces that they extend approximately equal distances on all sides of such blank spaces and form ineflect a band of approximately uniform width entirely surrounding and inclo'sing the blank spaces. As these blank spaces are in the form of figures and other conventional characters, the outer peripheries of the indented bands follow the outlines'of the characters and conform in a general way thereto, the conformity being suflicient to distinguish the band surrounding each character from that surrounding any of the other characters; Accordingly if attempt is made to raise the indicated va ue of the paper stamped with such characters by transposition of characters, it will be found necessary to cut through the untouched portions of the sheet in order that the outline of the pieces to be transposed may be the same, for if only the defaced parts of the sheet are cut out the substitution cannot be made, on account of the ceases difi'erent outlines of such pieces. Thus substitution of one character for another is made practically impossible.

This method of protecting commercial paper and the new form of stamped commercial paper produced thereby, combine the elements of protection al'l'orded by partially destroying the paper in the form of a character, and by forming a character in the paper itself by destroying the continuity of the sheet surrounding the character, thus bringing the degree of protection'to the highest possible point. The fact that the characters are formed in or of the paper itself, while .the surrounding part of the paper is defaced, prevents increasing the value by stamping one figure over another, while the shape of the defaced portion of the paper surrounding each character prevents the substitution bodily of one character for another. The method may be practiced andthe result secured by impression of the paper aloneby the dies without inking, but the effect is much enhanced and the characters made more distinct by applying ink to the paper at the same time that the paper is cut or destroyed. This may be done by inking the dies in any convenient manner, such for instance in the manner shown in the application Serial No. 415,525, or in Patent No.

In stamping commercial'paper with characters denoting values according to my invention, I precede the figure or figures by a conventional sign, denoting the value of the units employed, and place afterthe figure or line of figures an arbitrary sign of any suitable character, such as a cross, which will prevent the addition of further figures. The conventional sign which precedes the figure may be any of those used to designate the various monetary systems of the world,

or may be another character designating other units, such'for instance as the letter S forshares of stock. In any event, the conventional characters and arbitrary signs are made in the paper itself in the same manner as are the figures, and are sur-.

rounded by mutilated bands of the paper. These bands may have an exterior outline conforming to that of the sign, or all the signs may be surrounded by bands of uniform externaloutline, but whatever the outline of the surrounding mutilated portion of the paper may be, it is in eyery case greater in one or both dimensions than those surrounding the figures. It is also of different external outline than the band surrounding any of the figures. By reason principally of the greater size of the mutilated band around these conventional signs, substitution for such a sign of a figure is rendered impossible. l

It may be readily understood that one of the easiest means of increasing the designated value would be by removing either the value sign at the beginning or the terminal sign at the end of a line of figures, inserting one or more figures before or after the line,

- and again stamping a sign on the paper to include the added figures. By making the conventional signs greater in height, width, or both, than the figures, the size of the piece of paper which must be cut out in order to permit removal of the sign and substitution of a figure, and the difiiculty of matching the substituted piece of paper, is made so great as to be practically impossible of accomplishment without detection.

I claim i 1. The method of protecting commercial paper, which consists in defacing the paper by means of indent-ed parallel lines'which collectively define a mass having an outline conforming generally to a conventional character, and inclose a blank space having the form of the same conventional character.

2. The method of protecting commercial paper, which consists in weakening, without removing the paper immediately surrounding a blank space of the paper having the form of a conventional character, which is left intact, and'giving the outline of the weakened area the same general form as the character.

3. The method of protecting commercial paper, which consists in weakening and destroying the continuity of a portion of the paper,-the limits of which follow the outlines of a conventional character, entirely surrounding a portion of the paper, in the formof the same conventional character, which is left intact.

4. The method of protecting commercial paper, which consists in forming a conventional character of a blank portion of the paper itself by roughening a portion of the paper surrounding such blank portion, and conforming the outline of such roughened portion generally to the form of the character.

5. The method of protecting commercial paper, which consists in forming a conventional character out of a blank untouched portion of the paper, by indenting and cutting the paper to some extent on lines which terminate at the outlines of the blank space and at approximately uniform distances therefrom.

6. The method of protecting commercial paper, which consists in forming a conventional character out of a blank untouched portion of the paper by mutilating a band or strip of the paper of substantially uniform width entirely inclosing the blank portion and following the outlines thereof.

7. The method of protecting commercial paper, which consists in forming'a conventional character out of the original paper by indenting the paper on'parallel lines, interrupting the indentations so as to inclose a blank space in the form of a conventional character, and extending the indentations an approximately equal distance on all sides of the character.

8. Commercial paper having characters formed of the paper itself surrounded by indented bands having an external contour generally parallel to that of the character, the character-shaped areas within the indented bands being substantially in the plane of the body of the paper.

9. Commercial paper having bands consisting of disconnected indentations partially destroying the sheet and inclosing blank" spaces formed as conventional characters, the outlines of such bands conforming in a general Way to the outlines of the characters.

10. Commercial paper having indented parallel lines cutting more or less completely through the paper and limited in number and lengths soas to have an external outline corresponding in a general way to the outline of a conventional character, said lines being interrupted so that they inclose a.

blank, untouched portion of the paper in the form of the same conventional character.

11. Commercial paper bearing characters formed of blank areas of the paper itself, such areas forming the characters being su rrounded by mutilated portions of the paper, and the outlines of such mutilated portions being different for the various characters.

12. Commercial paper bearing a figure or line of figures and conventional signs before and after such figure or figures, the figures and signs being formed of the paper and surrounded by mutilated areas of the paper, such surrounding areas about the preceding and following signs being of greater extent than those surrounding the figure or figures, whereby removal of the paper bearing such a sign and substitution of a section of paper bearing a figure is prevented.

In testimony whereof I have afi'lxed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN E. ANGELL. Witnesses:

P. W. PEzzET'rI, B. H. MAoY. 

